Just a nightmare (oneshot)
by timelordfrompanem
Summary: This is what happens in one of Katniss' nightmares. (oneshot)


**This is set the night before the interviews. Review please. (oneshot)**

**Disclaimer: I am not Suzanne Collins.**

They run towards me. The little girl from District 11 launched her petite body at me. The once soft brown eyes which shimmered in the sunlight stared coldly at me. She dug her wolf like claws in to my flesh. She was no longer the girl I knew.

The other tribute mutts snarled. They closed in around me. _Time to die_, I thought. The green-eyed mutt did something unexpected - she was in the trees - right next to a tracker jackers nest. You didn't have to be a genius to figure out what was coming next. The nest exploded on me, tracker-jackers searched frantically for their next victim. The pain was excruciating. I screamed out. It lasted for one of the longest ten minutes of my life. At least I thought it was ten minutes. I'm still under the influence of the venom. _Why am I not dead? _Death would be too easy, the mutts would rather watch me suffer.

The mutts are still taunting me. Suddenly black clouds started to appear, it closed on the sun. The mutts disappeared and were replaced by dozens of white rose beds, flickered with red. I looked closer, the red was blood. The bottom of my stomach dropped. One word. Snow. I felt all of the air from me being sucked out of my body. _Don't breathe_ _in_. I commanded myself. I was gasping for air. I couldn't hold my breath any longer. The blood mixed with rose's stench filled my nose engulfing me.

The smell was unbearable. I remember falling to the ground. I think I passed out. I found myself staring at the altar. Was I at a wedding? I looked down at what I was wearing. Panic swelled inside me. _It was going to happen sooner or later_. The voice in my head commented. I was wearing the beautiful dress made up of pearls and feathers, the one Capitol had voted as their favourite. Why should _they_ get to choose what dress is as going to wear I'm the one getting married! I vowed I would never get married but here I am at the altar. I'll add that to my many reasons I despise the Capitol.

I take in the scenery it's a bright sunny day. The guests are dressed in colourful clothing, they are from the Capitol. Everyone was from the Capitol here, not even one person from District 12. They drink and chat and stuff themselves with food most people from 12 couldn't even dream of. My eyes scanned the crowd. Blonde hair comes into view. Peeta. Before I could stop myself; my feet ran towards him and pulled him to an embrace.

"I've missed you."

I smile up at him. Before I could open my mouth. Effie struts up towards us, Haymitch hanging off her arm. Effie was wearing yet another wig, bright blue this time, with a pale blue dress that hugged her hourglass figure and ridiculously tall high heels.

"We hoped you two would get married. And now you are! I am so proud of you both and wish you all the best for the future." Effie commented. I think she had tears in her eyes. I give her an understanding look.  
"What she said." Haymitch said. He isn't that good at expressing his feelings so I give him a smile as if to say "Thank you." I embrace them both with a hug.

Suddenly, guests started to disappear as Peeta, Haymitch and Effie continue speaking to each other. I dismissed that thought and told myself I was just being paranoid. I tuned back into the conversation.

"It's not that hard to frost actually Effie."

Typical. Once Peeta starts talking about frosting there's no stopping him.

"Says the baker's son." Haymitch adds.

I smirk at him. But before he can reply the vicar announces that its time for the vows and the rings. A pageboy dressed in white that looked vaguely familiar carried the rings on a red velvet cushion. The rings were plain gold with -forever yours - engraved on the outside of both of them. Peeta knew me so well; I couldn't ever imagine getting married to anyone but him. I am glad that I'm getting married Peeta but the Capitol would want us to have children. I can't raise any children in a world like this. As soon as they turned 12, they would be sent into the games.

"You may now kiss the bride." I try to push down the thought of children and stare at Peeta. His blue eyes look so happy. It overwhelms me, how happy I can make him.

Peeta pulls me in to a kiss. I get that feeling the same one I felt in the cave, the feeling that leaves me longing for some more of his lips and his lips only. As we pull away, I notice that everyone including Haymitch and Effie had vanished. The building had completely collapsed. I was left standing in ruins, rubble and ash. My wedding dress was torn as well as my flesh. _Where is everyone?_ Peeta!? My heart raced. He was nowhere to be seen. I walked away from the building, if you could call it that. I felt tears cloud my eyes but I wasn't sure it was from the ash.

My old seam house came into view. Sometimes I go there, trying to get away from it all, back when I came from the games with the nightmares. I walk a few steps up the path. I look around. Silence. Not even the mockingjays sing. There's something stopping me from moving forward, like some sort of invisible force field. Prim skips to our old home. She looks out of place here. Her blonde braid bounces as she walks. How could someone so innocent live in a world like this. I can't help but wonder if my sister also comes here to escape from reality like I do.

"Prim! " I shout her name, trying to get her attention.

I don't think she can hear me, probably because we're far away from each other. She enters the house. I wish I could join her but unless I find a way to get rid of the invisible force field, I am stuck here. The sun shines even brighter. Something catches my eye. It looked like a shard of glass. I try not to think of what might happen but it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Prim, Prim come out! It's me, Katniss, Prim come out!'' I shout as loud as my voice box can go.

_*Father walks in and kisses my mother's right cheek and hands her a bunch of daffodils he picked for her. Her eyes shine as she smiles. 4 year old Prim sits on the floor, playing with the toys that father traded from The Hob.*_

The smell of burning flesh wafted through the air. Only one thought fills my mind. Prim, the one person I truly love. Her voice screams out but is silenced by a sudden stop. The whole world comes to a halt. The house that I spent my childhood in, the house of memories that still haunt me in my sleep, was now engulfed in blazes of fire. The last thing I could see was a figure in the heat, drop dead on the ground.

Before I could allow the tears to spill, the scene before me vanished and was replaced by a tree. On the branches were canaries whistling a tune. I recognise the tune but don't give it any thought. Near the trunk of the tree there is a shadow. A second later it was now opaque and standing there was none other than my father.

His facial features were brighter and glowing, not a single burn on any of his skin. I stand there staring at him and he does the same. The birds continue to sing. I can remember when my father left. My mother was dead to the world. She wouldn't speak to any one, not even 7- year-old Prim. I had to look after all three of us. Before my father's incident, she would smile sweetly. We were happy eventhough we were living in the Seam. My father would cheer us all up.

I can feel his eyes still on me. I try to avoid the questions bouncing around my mind because I have no answer. If my father is here, then I should spend as much time with him as I can.

"Katniss." My father says with a smile in his voice. "You've grown."

I walk towards him, trying to contain my joy. I can't be too happy, I know that it's not really him but it's nice to see him, even if he isn't real. As soon as I reach him, he holds me in his arms and his familiar aroma fills my nose.

We stay like this for a few more moments. Then he whispers "You know I'm not real Katniss." My father tries his best to speak calmly but I can see right through it.

"Yes, I know." I mumble whilst nodding my head.

He then disappears into thin air. It was a different kind of torture. It gives you what you long for and then snatches it from your reach. I let out a deep sigh. I sit cross-legged on the vibrant grass. My fingers rub against the blades of green.

It feels like I've been sat here forever but I haven't got the energy to get up. I look around at the forest, my forest.

"Hey Catnip."

Gale stands in front of me. I look up at him. He helps me up off the ground. We walk silently to the base of the tree where we keep our weapons. I pull out my bow and arrows and Gale does the same. The both of us head deeper into the woods. I glance at Gale, trying to read his expression but he's always so good at hiding how he feels. We make eye contact for a split second and look away, focused on the ground.

I spot a lone turkey. I signal Gale to look where I'm looking. We have this unique language where we can talk using signals and eye contact. I get ready to shoot. The arrow flies into a boys flesh. Marvel lies dead. I try to scream but no noise comes out. Gale looks at me worriedly. I blink and Marvel's body turns into a dead turkey. Am I seeing things? My mind is playing tricks on me. It wasn't Marvel. It wasn't Marvel. I chant it in my head, over and over like a mantra.

"You okay?" Gale asks.

I nod my head in reply. I can't tell Gale about what I thought I saw, he'll just worry about me.

A stone is thrown into the trees by Gale. I quickly load my bow and take down 5 birds in a row. I glace at the fallen birds but they're not birds. Fallen tributes lie on the leaves, each with an arrow in their chests. Glimmer, Clove, Cato, and Rue. _Rue._ They're all dead because of me. Rue will never get to look after her siblings again. _It's all your fault. _A voice in my head says. I don't try to think of an excuse because it's true. I had something to do with each of their deaths. I fell to the ground, the impact finally reached my body. My eyes are blurry with tears. A single sob escapes my mouth.

Gale comforts me but it doesn't help. His hand rests on my shoulder. "They're just birds Katniss." A short laugh rises in my throat. Gale hardly ever makes jokes. He's trying to cheer me up. I wipe the few tears away with the hem of my father's hunting jacket. I give him a small smile as he comes back from picking up the birds.

We head back towards the fence. As we're walking back, I notice Peeta, hiding behind a tree. I walk toward the tree. A sickly sweet scent mixed with copper lingers in the air. It can only mean one thing. The president stands there, whispering something to a guard. The guard nods, grabs Peeta and pulls him into a headlock. I gasp at the sudden movement. Snow's eyes glare at me like I am vermin. He looks at one of his gauds, giving him a signal. Gale is held with a knife pressed against his neck.

"Miss Everdeen. What a pleasure it is to see you." Snow says whilst staring at me with unforgiving eyes.

"Let them free." I say. I try to sound fierce but it comes out just louder than a whisper.

"No." Once again the unforgiving eyes stare at my soul. "Instead of killing them both," The president looks at my facial expression and then continues "I'll give you the choice. You either choose Peeta or Gale."

My breath hitches. I look at Peeta. Those sad eyes look back, as if he knows it won't be him. I look towards Gale. He looks like he's about to strangle Snow. I avert my eyes to the ground. I don't know who I love, I can't decide in the next 10 seconds. Peeta or Gale, Gale or Peeta. My heart beats faster and louder each second.

"Time's up I'm afraid." Snow glances at the guard to his right, the one holding Peeta's neck in his arm. He releases Peeta and I let out a sigh I didn't realise I was holding in. The guard pulls a blade out of his pocket and in one movement slices Peeta's throat open. A bloodcurdling scream fills the air. I notice it's my own. I run to Peeta side, but he's already dead. His glassy eyes look up to the sky. Tears steam down my face. I can't lose Peeta. _I can't._ I sob until my head hurts. Someone is shaking me. My headache is even worse now though I still cry.

"It's okay." I try to stop sobbing which turns out to be unsuccessful and notice that I'm safe, in Peeta's strong arms.

"You were dead." I say between sobs.

"It was just a nightmare Katniss." Peeta holds me and eventually I stop crying. Most of his t-shirt is wet with tears. It was just a nightmare. I repeat it in my head. Peeta's still alive. I hug him even tighter to make sure he's real. I don't know what I would do if he died. It makes me feel guilty, thinking like this, especially when I remember what I said to him on the train ride back after the games. I can't watch him die. _You can't live with the pain._ The voice in my head returns but it's still right. I am selfish and he _has_ to win the Quell. I glace at Peeta. Our eyes lock. Several moments pass before we look away. I lie on his chest, breathing in his scent of (insert scent here). We are so close to each other. My cheeks instantly heat up at the thought. I don't think Peeta noticed because he continues to stroke my shoulder with his thumb. This calms me down and makes me sleepy but I try not to fall asleep, I don't want to have another nightmare.

"We should get to sleep, we've got a big day tomorrow." Peeta mumbles.

"You sound just like Effie." I smirk. He laughs.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" I know exactly what he's talking about. How can I make him worry about me even more? I can't share my horrible nightmare with him even though talking about it would probably help. I shake my head and he just nods. Peeta and I understand each other, we both don't want to relive our games. He keeps me sane and I… I can't think about my feelings for him at the moment but there's definitely something there. I swear I'll try my hardest to keep him alive whatever the cost. He can't die. I won't let him.

**Thanks to debbie321 for helping me. :) Constructive criticism appreciated. Please Review. Thanks for reading!**


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